Switch Wireless Gamecube Controllers

[Megatron]

Apparently, 8-BitDo is launching a product that allows you to play your original gamecube controllers on your Switch - wirelessly.  



You plug the gamecube controller into this thing, and it acts as a wireless transmitter to your switch.  With Smash coming out, I like this idea.  Yes, ther eis a wired one, just like with the WiiU, but this allows some flexibility in my room.
I preordered one, I figure it'll be interesting to see how well this thing works.  

Link to buy:

https://www.amazon.com/Wireless-Adapter-Nintendo-GameCube-Classic-Controllers/dp/B07JLF9PVG/ref=as_li_ss_tl?ie=UTF8&linkCode=sl1&tag=vergeopt-20&linkId=ad52e8cdc1321188f6a4f38e595c91ca&language=en_US

[Megatron]

This thing also allows you to plug in a Wii Pro controller, NES or SNES Classic, or anything with the nunchuck style prong.  So this could allow you to play the Switch online NES games with an actual NES style controller (without buying the $60 ones from Nintendo)

[ShoothimNow]

I can see someone forgetting the cable length and breaking something

[Megatron]

But even in that scenario, Shoot, what have we gained and what have we lost?

[Arseen]

I can see someone forgetting the cable length and breaking something

Why does the cable lenght matter?
You connect the controller to the dongle, that is the wired part.
Rest is wireless.
You don't get the effect of your animated GIF by forgetting cable lenght but by going completely berserk and deliberately flinging the dongle on the cable.

[Megatron]

From the picture it looks like the dongle is attached to the controller via a short cable. Maybe he didn't realize there's 5 ft of cord not seen because it's a regular GC cable plugged in. 

[Arseen]

From the picture it looks like the dongle is attached to the controller via a short cable. Maybe he didn't realize there's 5 ft of cord not seen because it's a regular GC cable plugged in. 

Oh, I didn't think that.

[TDIRunner]

Not really wireless, but still better than full on wired controllers.  It looks sort of like using the Classic Controller on the Wii plugged into the Wii Remote to use "wireless."  It wasn't a bad setup for the Wii, but that cord was short.  As already mentioned, the GameCube controller could be a problem having that lot ass cord just laying around.

Of course, the big question will be whether or not it adds lag.  That will be the big deal breaker if this thing is targeted towards Smash players. 

[ShoothimNow]

Why does the cable lenght matter?

Because everything now is wireless, and people are not fully use to being attached to a 6.5ft / 9.8ft (controller variant dependent) cord =P

[Dr.Agon]

whats the big deal with the GC controller and smash?

it seems every time a smash game comes out someone wants to shoehorn in GC support...

(not a smash player, educate me!)

[Tech13]

ok let me shed some light here...

1) Smash will be played in tournaments despite what the big N wants.

2) the best controller layout is widely accepted as the Gamecube controller for the game, and N get to charge a premium for remaking the controller over and over again. Professional smash players usually buy anywhere from 4 to 12 gamecube controllers on a yearly basis. so big money to be made there.

3) Wireless controllers have lag. the basic layout of a wireless controller is  button press > Encode > Transmit > receive > Decode > input to game.

4) most wireless controllers have a limited number of communication channels available (example the wavebird has 16 I think) Thus crosstalk and interference can happen, and in some rare cases cheating or sabotage. This is why wireless controllers are banned in most serious tournaments. they don't want to hear the excuses. "X person jumped on my signal and messed me up"

[wiggy]

whats the big deal with the GC controller and smash?

it seems every time a smash game comes out someone wants to shoehorn in GC support...

(not a smash player, educate me!)

I’m still trying to wrap my head around the insane popularity and appeal of SSB itself, let alone why a nearly 20 year old controller design is like the ONLY one that can be used.

ok let me shed some light here...

1) Smash will be played in tournaments despite what the big N wants.

2) the best controller layout is widely accepted as the Gamecube controller for the game, and N get to charge a premium for remaking the controller over and over again. Professional smash players usually buy anywhere from 4 to 12 gamecube controllers on a yearly basis. so big money to be made there.

3) Wireless controllers have lag. the basic layout of a wireless controller is  button press > Encode > Transmit > receive > Decode > input to game.

4) most wireless controllers have a limited number of communication channels available (example the wavebird has 16 I think) Thus crosstalk and interference can happen, and in some rare cases cheating or sabotage. This is why wireless controllers are banned in most serious tournaments. they don't want to hear the excuses. "X person jumped on my signal and messed me up"

Wired controllers use the same process though. The only difference is the means by which the code is transmitted (via wire vs RF/BT/IR).

The wave bird used RF, modern controllers (by in large) use Bluetooth. The whole channel thing isn’t an issue, since BT requires a “handshake” between devices, eliminating the whole blind transmission issues that come along with RF.  Lag shouldn’t be an issue either, assuming that the device is well engineered.

[Tech13]

Lag shouldn’t be an issue either, assuming that the device is well engineered.

There is the mistake. Assuming that it is a quality product and not something designed to gain as much profit as possible.

The Smash craze always happens and it always brings the vipers out of their nests. Selling their snakeoil products that promise the world.

Don't get me wrong there may be some perfectly good products out there at a reasonable price, but don't expect tournament quality products below $70.

[Megatron]

Snake oil?  This is 8bitdo, not ATgames or madcatz.   Ive used several of their products and theyre all great.  I doubt this will be different.

And I don't think this is catering toward the tournament smash crowd. Any tournament player will tell you that you either play wired, or you don't play. This is simply a nice device that people like me will use to play Smash on the couch, for the 10 or 12 times I actually play it.

[TDIRunner]

When I brought up Smash, I wasn't really referring to tournaments.  Even outside of tournaments, GC controllers are still a big deal for those who are into Smash, and any detectable lag will be a deal breaker for most.